SPRING HILL — Police in Spring Hill are still trying to identify four or five teenage girls whose nude photos were found in an email account.

Officials have arrested three teenage boys, charging them with 24 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Investigators said they connected the youths — one 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds — with the email account.

The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/ZLnNjn) reported police also asked that any girl who texted revealing photos of herself and who has not been interviewed by officers contact police.

"None have so far, but we still want to know who these girls are, so we are going to go different routes to find out," Spring Hill Police Lt. Justin Whitwell said.

Police investigated the case for six months before making arrests. Investigators said the nude photos were initially obtained through sexting but were then used to extort more photos from female classmates.

Police said the boys stored the revealing photos in an email account and then shared the login information so other classmates could view them.

The boys' names were not reported because of their ages and the fact that the case is still before Juvenile Court. All three are from Williamson County, police said.

Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper said she cannot talk about Juvenile Court proceedings. Helper said earlier she expected the youths charged to be tried as juveniles.

If the boys are convicted in Juvenile Court, the judge would have a wide range of options regarding punishment. That could include community service, a special curfew or sentencing to a juvenile facility.